Smuggling of fish to Iran comes to an end

Fish smuggling from Pakistan to Iran has come to an end as global sanctions have exhausted Iranian buyers' finances, resulting in a steep plunge in the prices of a number of species in the local market, fisheries sources said on Wednesday. "Fish smuggling, which was about Rs 20 million a day to Iran has ceased. This will, however, help boost the country's seafood export to the world," said Chairman Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (PAKFEA) M. Faisal Iftikhar.
He said that the prices of fish species have declined over 50 percent in recent months, adding "the fish prices have declined not because exports have fallen rather it is because smuggling came to an end". After the Iranian buyers stopped payments, Pakistani smugglers discontinued their informal trade, sources said, adding that "the end of smuggling has resulted in pushing down the prices of fish".
Normally, they said, the prices of fish in the autumn and winter season skyrockets on the back of the low catch and increased demand locally and globally. But, they said, for the first time, the prices of fish have declined significantly despite the low catch. "The catch has fallen by 40 percent at present," fishermen said, adding that the prices of white pomfret fell to Rs 600 per kg from Rs 1800, cuttlefish to Rs 450 per kg from Rs 700, chind to Rs 170-195 per kg from Rs 270-330 and bangra to Rs 110 from Rs 155-170 in the last 15 days.
Sources said that the smuggling continued to reduce the output of the seafood processing industries. "Smugglers continued to deprive the country of huge taxes because of their illegal fish trade," they said. Showing concern, they said that fish smuggling continued under official patronage through the Balochistan border to Iran. "The smuggling was an open secret while the government made no effort to curb the smugglers at any level," they added.
The smuggling had also decreased the amount needed to supply fisheries plants for export, they said. They, however, held the big exporters responsible for giving low prices on the same catch which fetches huge earnings on smuggling to Iran. "Rates on the local market for fish species are lower than the prices which smugglers give to the fishermen," sources said, adding that the Red Snapper, croaker, pomfret etc were being smuggled along with Tuna.